John Foster

Commentary - Forceps Delivery

“In 1972 I was present at the birth of my first daughter. It was a difficult birth for my wife. The contortions of the mother-to-be in labour, then the moment of birth and this screaming little purple bundle impressed me tremendously. Here was real life happening. Finally our daughter was born with the help of forceps. Until the moment the baby began to cry, there was the sense of not knowing if everything was going to turn out well. That moment provided a supreme measure of relief. The experience was traumatic for both of us, and a most significant event in my life. I did not know until then how much love and respect I had for my wife and child.

Such and occasion I felt moved to record, so I made drawings of the events as they happened. It was some years later I worked the drawings into paintings that followed the events from the left of the mural to the right where the baby is born.” -- John Foster

Printmaking
A group of monotone lithographs accompany the mural. Neither the mural nor the prints have been exhibited.